Traffic guard



Sept. 22, 1942. E. vjcAMP 2,296,419

TRAFFIC GUARD Filed Nov. 9, 1935 INVENTOR El/gene. 1 C'q'mp I BY U Q Q ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1942 UNlTED STATE PATENT OFFICE 2,296,419 TRAFFIC GUARD Eugene V. Camp, Atlanta, Ga.

Application November 9, 1935, Serial No. 48,962

17 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to safety devices, and more specifically, to a new and improved spring post for use in conjunction with highway guard rails.

Modern high speed motor cars and a national system of good roads have given rise to divers problems in the preserving and protecting of human lif and the keeping of property damage from accidents, at a minimum. In this connection the present day resilient plate type guard rail as disclosed in my basic Patent No. 1,793,673 has become an increasingly important factor in guarding and making safe public highways, the introduction of the device embodying the fundamental concept of said patented invention having revolutionized the guard rail industry in the United States and abroad. Guard rail assemblies embodying the essence of that invention, which may be said to comprise a sheet metal band maintained entirely to one side of a series of supports under longitudinal tension, have been generally successful and are conceded to represent the best known method to date of dealing with existing traffic problems.

The weakest part of such structures is the posts which support the guard rail proper, such posts usually consisting of conventional wooden members which are prone to rot out, decay, become brittle so as to snap off under comparatively light impacts; push out of the ground, or otherwise fail to efficiently perform the function for which they are intended. A guard rail assembly is no stronger than the posts thereof, and since the rail proper is usually designed to resist tremendous forces, such members often having a tensile strength of over one hundred thousand pounds, it is towards the weak link in the assembly-the poststhat this invention is primarily directed.

An object of the instant invention is to provide a guard rail having spring metal posts which, upon impact, yield a predetermined degree before becoming rigid.

Another object is to provide a durable guard rail post that will not rot or decay, but which to all intents and purposes will be as permanent as the metal rail with which it is associated.

Another object is to provide means for anchoring and securing in the ground a guard rail of the foregoing character.

Another object is to provide means'for offsetting such a post in a guard rail assembly in such a manner as to reduce or eliminate the danger of an impacting vehicle coming into contact with said post. 7

Another object is to provide unique means for checking the movement of a resilient multiple leaf spring guard rail post after it has traveled a predetermined distance upon impact.

Another object is to provide strength and permanence in a guard rail post.

A still further object is to provide means for passing the plate element of a guard rail, through its supporting post, in such a manner as to achieve certain structural advantages made clear hereafter. I

Another object is to provide means for imparting tension to a resilient metal plate passed through its supporting post.

Another object is to provide cheapness of construction and economy in manufacture in highway guard rails embodying the instant invention.

These and other objects made apparent during the further progress of this specification are accomplished by means f my new and improved resilient spring guard rail post, a full and complete understanding of which is facilitated by reference to the drawing herein, in which:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side view of a post embodying'the instant invention, associated with an impact member shown in section, said view being taken with the line of vision parallel to the roadway.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, as seen from the highway, said view being fragmentary in part.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the device, taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the post taken substantially along the line V-V of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of another form of the instant invention, in which the plate member of the rail is passed through its supporting post.

Fig. '7 is a front view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional View of the structure illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, said view being taken along the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 7 and turned through an arc of ninety degrees.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of a post of the instant type, illustrating a modification in the means by which the transverse movement of the spring post is checked after said post has yielded a given distance upon impact.

plated that all units illustrated in the drawing,

herein shall be multiplied as desired in erecting a highway guard for a given location.

Referring now to the drawing, Figs. 1, 2, and 3,

my invention contemplates a postof spring metalhaving a front element I and a rear element II which elements are preferably formed respectively-convex and concave, thisprovidi ng additional strength to the post elementswithout, however, depriving themof their inherent -resilience. IIlandII are disposed-in a-g'en'erally parallel relationship to each other withtheir broad dimensions facing the highway (Fig. 3), and 1 are illustrated joined togetherat a point somewhat below that'to which the-posts will normally be positioned-in the ground, by means of bolts I2 and I3 passed through suitable aperturesproviding for that purpose in areinforcing and/or spacing 'web-M-KFig. 4}, which-member may be stamped or otherwise fabricated from suitable-metal.

'I'o'assist instabilizin'gthe posts in the ground, fins-0r iwebs I5 -and I6 are provided} these elements being formed of light metal; and are substantially V-shaped, with both ends of the V attachedto the post as-bypassing bolts I2 and I3 through holes provided in said" ends forsuch purpose, ul-tiinatetriangular structure affording additional-rigidity and strength w a member iormedof light material. Spacer I'd-is so formed that there may be some articulation between this-element and I11 or ll when the resilient feature of the post is brought 'into operation.

Tofurther stabilize the post-in theground anangle plate I I'a may bedisp'osed between l0 and II= at'th'eir lower ends, thereby forming, in effect, afoot" at this point;- and' a third-fin I1, similar in shape and fabrication to'fins l5 and iiimay likewise be associatedwithsaid ends; a pairpi bolts I8 and I9servir'ig to fasten IT to the bottom of IT and to join together the two ost" elements andstabilizing foot in a rigid manner. The vertex of V-shaped fin I1 may be secured to foot Ha, as by a weld the assembled structure providing a' device'which when placed inthe ground resists deflection transversely and/or laterally, yet which is light in weight and economical to manufaeture. The posts may bep'lacedin the igr'ound'in any-suitable manner, and may be secured in position with earth, rock, or other suitable material;

Attention i's 'now directed to I the upper portion 'of"'element I-I'I', which member may be straight, or formed with-anoiT-setas shown in Fig. 1 this construction being deemed preferable because it reduces or eliminates the danger of a projecting portion of an impacting vehicle coining into contact with the'post, with attendant damage both 'tosaid's'tructureandtoth'e' vehicle, su'ch"aiiiliipacttending'to stop the car suddenly by turriingit into the rail, which is in direct contrast to the approved manner of operation of the modern resilient type guard rail which is intended to glide the impacting vehicle along the smooth surface of the rail and ultimately to bring such back into the highway, such action ordinarily being accompanied by deceleration, and the forces set up by the impact being distributed throughout the entire guard rail structure and dissipated without severe injury to, or failure of the rail in the ordinary case. A commercially desirable manner of forming the oliset is indicated in Fig. l, in which front element I0 is bent forward at a point approximating that at which the post will be placed in the ground,

' said point being designated Illa in the drawing;

and rear element II at IIb likewise bent at an even sharper angle, to provide desired spacing between the post elements, and further, to bring said elements together in sliding engagement at their upper portions, as will be explained more in detailduring the further progress of this specification. 7

The top of ID may be bent as at Ifib to form a substantially right angle with the ground when the post is placed therein," to: provide a suitable-surface to which isanchOred an impact member 2 I; while: the extreme upper portion of lli may beturned rearward-1y to form a'cap Hie, Which-acts as a supplemental stop means to the upward movement oil I when the face of the post-is'im-pacted.

Rear-'memberll is bent 'as at IIc'to lie in'a planeparallel to that establish'ed at IIib, anda slidingcontactisprovided near the tops of I0 and I I by a limited slot hole I 'Id through which is pass'ed a bolt 22-, said bolt beingfi'rstipassed through a suitable aperture in I G, this3constructime making it possible for the two: elements of the" post to yield a predetermined 1 degree. upon impact b'efore assuming-a rigid, truss-like form calculated to' resist I heavy stresses; the position o f{ theaelements under said latter conditions (as impacted) being in'di-cated hy the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Cap Iflc further servestocheck the upward movement -of I I'inirelation to It; .it being apparent that-when II has moved to the limts' fl rted by slot l Id; the-top of saidire'ar'memengagement with the underside of the alternate method of accomplishing the above-described; sliding action issuggested in Figs; 9 air-1 min which the upper portions of III 'a'nd I-I- areprovided w ithfa series of not'ches 2'3faiid' -2 lalong-their sides, which notches are 'do've tai-l'edtogether in such a manner as to allowrearmember I I: to slide upwardly a given distanee before being checked by the contact of notch 2 1 against not'clilfi, the space "25between the notches allowing for this I movement. If desired element m may be -provided with a cap such as We (Fig.- 1) to' act as a further stop element in conjunction with said series of notches. It is to benoted that the-upper porti0hs-0f l o and I I (Figs. -9 and 10) are slightly sprung together so that'the' two elements'may slide oneon the 'other; but with" material frictional spr ingz resistance tending to? prevent such slidin'g- This arrangement aids substantially in supporting a load against the face of the rail before the: rear element: reaches the stop, the 's'nubbiri'g action present helping tov absorb the shock without bringing the fullspring effect of the postintoaetion; thereby making possible the resistance of a given force with alighterspring actionthan would otherwise be possible;

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that if desired, the sliding stop-joint arrangement described herein may be provided at the bottom ends of the post instead of the top, or at both top and bottom when given circumstances warrant.

Impact member 2| ma comprise a resilient strip of sheet metal or an element or elements having a beam-like action, any suitable collisionresisting structure coming within the scope of the instant invention.

Special attention is now directed to the embodiment of the instant invention disclosed in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, in which the two elements of the post instead of having their concave and convex surfaces opposed to each other as in the form described up to this point, are so positioned that said surfaces are approximately parallel to each other, element l I being shown in the drawing as a special rear member having somewhat more of a curve in its face than does front element Ill, and having its sides turned towards the rear, both for the purpose of affording additional strength to the device and to eliminate sharp edges facing the roadway. A sliding plate 26 is provided to the rear of l l, and a bolt 21 is passed through I0, through a suitable slot I le in H, and through said plate. At the top, a second bolt 28 is passed through 10 and engages plate 26 at the rear, a notch I If in II furnishing additional stop means in conjunction with bolt 28' when II is moved upwardly upon impact. A cap such as I may provide further stop means.

It is to be especially noted that rail or impact member 2| is passed between post elements l0 and II, which arrangement, in view of the concave structure of IO and H, provides a means of putting rail 2| under longitudinal tension, it being apparent that upon a tightening of bolts 21 and 28, the rail is deflected to one side and in such a contour that there is a tendency to shorten said rail, thereby putting the member under tension.

It is likewise apparent that member ID is pulled back of the general alignment of the rail by the foregoing action (Fig. 8), thereby eliminating any obstruction to contacting vehicles.

From the foregoing it is patent that I have disclosed a new and useful resilient spring post for use in guard rail assemblies. That said post upon impact gives a predetermined degree, thereby cushioning the shock and providing a spring action heretofore lacking in guard rail posts. That upon reaching the limit of its resilience, the post assumes a rigid form capable of resisting large stresses, and in such form serves as a safe and eflicient supporting member. That this resilient-truss effect is highly desirable in dealing with present-day highway problems. That the post is securely and ingeniously fixed in the ground by special means provided for that purpose. That the device is economical to manufacture, and capable of resisting severe impacts, although the amount of metal required for each unit is comparatively small. That the post is comparatively permanent, in keeping with the remainder of modern guard rail structures; easy to maintain; not subject to change with the passage of time and influence of weather, as in the case of wooden posts; and is pleasing in appearance.

It is further apparent that I have disclosed a new and useful means of associating a guard rail plate with a post, the essence of which method consists of passing the rail through the post, with advantages set forth above.

While I have described the post herein with considerable detail, I do not intend to thereby limit myself, but on the contrary intend that the appended claims shall be accorded a liberal interpretation and a broad range of equivalents in keeping with the essence of my invention.

I claim:

1. A traflic guard comprising a series of posts, said posts consisting of a plurality of springs in generally parallel relationship to each other, means slidably joining said springs at one end, a spacing member intermediate the ends of said springs, a plurality of stabilizing fins attached to the lower portions of said springs, an anchoring foot at the bottom of said springs, means uniting said springs at their bottom ends, and a flexible impact member disposed longitudinally of said posts.

2. A traflic guard comprising a series of posts, said posts consisting of a pair of springs in generally parallel relationship to each other, means slidably joining said springs at one end, a spacing member intermediate the ends of said springs, V-shaped stabilizing fins adjacent said spacing member, means uniting said springs at their other end, a V-shaped stabilizing fin adjacent the bottom ends of said springs, and an impact member associated with said posts and disposed longitudinally thereof.

3. A traffic guard comprising a series of posts, said posts consisting of a plurality of springs, and an impact member disposed longitudinally r of said posts.

4. A traffic guard comprising a series of leaf spring posts, and an impact member disposed longitudinally and entirely to one side of said posts.

5. A guard rail comprising a flexible sheet metal band disposed entirely to one side of a series of spaced resilient spring metal posts.

6. A guard rail comprising a flexible sheet metal band disposed entirely to one side of a series of leaf spring metal posts.

7. A traffic guard comprising a series of posts, said posts consisting of a pair of resilient springs having concave surfaces disposed in generally parallel relationship to each other, a sliding plate to the rear of said springs, means slidably joining said springs near their tops, stop means associated with said springs for limiting the upward travel of the rear spring, means for drawing said springs together at their upper portions, and a resilient sheet metal band disposed between said springs and in engagement with the concave surfaces thereof in such a manner that when said tightening means is operative, said metal band is drawn into theindentation provided by said concave surfaces, thereby putting said band under longitudinal tension.

8. A traffic guard comprising a series of spring metal posts, and a resilient impact member disposed to one side of said posts with a portion of said impact member at the posts passed between portions of said posts.

9. A traffic guard comprising a series of posts, said posts consisting of a front spring and a rear spring in generally parallel relationship to each other, means including a slotted joint for slidably joining said springs near one end, a cap integral with said front spring for limiting the movement of the rear spring, means for stabilizing said posts when such are placed in the ground, an impact member disposed longitudinally of said posts,- and means for ioff settingx: said posts in:

relation to the road in'isuch:a"manner 'thattsaid impact memberlis nearest the ."line ofj traffic and the: remainder :of fsai'd: p'ostirecedes transverselyv from the linetof travel;

101 A'ltraffic iguard.comprising a series of offset resilient lsprin'g? metal posts and. an impact member disposed longitudinally thereof:

/ 11. A traffic guard comprising a series of spaced posts, saidf posts-consistingv of a pair of springs in generallyiparallel relationship to each other; opposed curvedisurfaces at onerend of said springs, a series of spaced notches along the sides t saidxend portionwhereby said:springs are dove tailedfltogetlierrandla limitedwertical movement between: said"el'ementswprovided; and an impact member disposed longitudinally of said series of posts;-

12Z A trafii'c guard comprising 'a' series ofspaced supports, said supports consisting of a front and-a rear element 'in generally parallel relationship toeachr other; means :joining. said elements infrictional engagement: whereby they give-5a predeterminedidegreel upon impact, said frictional engagement affording a .snubbing actinn -tending to retard such'imovement; andsan impact member. disposedlongitudinally of said series-ofsupports;

. 13; A traffic guard comprisingtaseries of spaced posts; said posts consisting ofi ahp'lurality of springs in generally parallel relationship to each other, opposed curved surfaces satt oneend' of said springs; a series ofl spaced notches along the sides of'said end lportioniwh'ereby said leaf ends are dove-tailed together in frictional engagement and r a limited vertical movement between the springs afforded; said movementbeing retarded by; the- 'snubbing action produced by said frictional engagement; and an impact .mem-

ber disposed longitudinally of said seriesof posts:

14; A: trailic guard comprising a series of spaced resilient spring metal posts, V-shaped fins attached to the broad surfaces of said posts at points below-which said posts will normallyibe positioned in the-- ground, and animpact mem-' ber extending from post to post;

15. A trafiic guard comprising aseries of spaced supports, a V-shaped:stabilizing finatta'chedrto said supports at a point below which said supports will normally; be placed in the ground, and an impact member extending longitudinally of-said series of supports.

16. A traffic guard comprising a series of posts, said posts consistingmf'a plurality of springs ingenerally parallel relationship to each other and with theirbroad'surfaces parallel-to the 

